Is the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali falling behind the pack just prior to its complete redesign this fall? After towing with it this past week, Sami certainly thinks so - especially compared to the 2018 Ford F-150 that Benjamin was driving. The pair also discuss their shared time in the 2018 Volvo S90 T8, debate the merits of its battery power, and try to figure out why Sami is so in love with the red convertible top on the 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
May 26, 2018•43 min
The embargo has lifted and we can finally talk about the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo - and boy, do we have a lot to say.
May 21, 2018•19 min
Where does the redesigned 2019 Audi A6 fit into the executive sedan ecosystem? Sami drives the latest Audi in Portugal and comes back suitably impressed by what the luxury car has to offer. Meanwhile, Benjamin falls in love with the wagon version of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and delivers an impassioned soliloquy on the benefits of wagons over crossovers. Finally, Chevy's turbocharged four-cylinder Silverado gamble is an intriguing play for the full-size pickup, but neither Sami nor Benjamin are...
May 19, 2018•45 min
The Eclipse Cross is the last Mitsubishi to be developed entirely in-house prior to the merger with Nissan, and Sami spends a week behind the wheel to figure out what the new SUV's lasting legacy will be for fans of the brand. Meanwhile, Benjamin has his expectations overturned by the 2018 BMW X2 sport-utility vehicle, while also sampling the similarly surprisingly - although not in a good way - 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV. SUV! SUV! SUV!
May 12, 2018•44 min
The 2019 Genesis G70 turns out to be more than just a rival to the current crop of entry-level sport sedans from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi - it's a bit of a time machine back to when dialed-in steering, suspension, and a lively character were more important than outright power and multi-stage traction control. On both the street and the Mont Tremblant race track the G70 impressed Benjamin to the point where he makes some very bold statements about its place in the world. Sami, on the other ha...
May 06, 2018•45 min
Stop the press, because Ford has decided to stop making cars! Well, almost - in the middle of recording this episode, Benjamin and Sami learn that Ford will keep building the Mustang, but kill every other sedan in a bid to focus exclusively on SUVs and trucks. The pair also talk about the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which Sami drove under the Croatian sun, and the 2018 Lincoln Navigator SUV, which surprised Benjamin during their week together with how much of an effort Lincoln has made in rev...
Apr 28, 2018•43 min
The Mazda 6 has always offered excellent handling, but was left in the dust by more powerful sedan peers - until now. The 2018 Mazda 6 Turbo is here, and Benjamin has the scoop after a day spent zoom-zooming through B.C.'s mountain valleys. Sami and Benjamin also discuss the excellent Nissan Armada, which impresses despite frightening fuel mileage, as well as the overland Armada Patrol bear-proof camper, which might not be nearly as ursine-ready as one would think. Also, news!
Apr 21, 2018•57 min
Who, exactly, is the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro Turbo 1LE aimed at? Compact performance enthusiasts or budget-minded track fans? Benjamin gets to the bottom of that question after driving the newest Camaro at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, when he wasn't having his mind blown in the 755 horsepower 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 by pro drivers Tommy Milner and Tony Kanaan. Sami gets the chance to tell the world just how much he loves the Subaru Outback, before the two dissect Benjamin's wheel time in the all-...
Apr 14, 2018•1 hr 1 min
Is the Nissan Leaf DOA because of its miniscule battery range in comparison to the Chevrolet Bolt? Should Volkswagen be building 'American' cars like the full-size Atlas SUV in a bid to engage with buyers? These questions get answered this week as Benjamin and Sami try to figure out the two unusual corporate strategies behind this pair of vehicles. Sami also reports on all the good and bad vehicle debuts from the New York Auto Show. Links: 2018 Nissan Leaf Review — The 2018 Nissan Leaf is more t...
Apr 07, 2018•59 min
Just how much did Kia need to change the already-outstanding Sorento SUV for the 2019 model year? Not all that much, as Benjamin explains after having driven the 2019 Kia Sorento from Montrose, Colorado to the slopes of Crested Butte. Sami wishes that Jeep had gone all-in with the 2018 Compass SUV he drove last week, lamenting the lack of polish on what should be a compelling compact entry. Benjamin finishes things off with a story about 100-mph ice racing in the Kia Stinger GT. Links: 2018 Jeep...
Mar 31, 2018•37 min
Where, exactly, does the Land Rover Range Rover Velar fit in to the luxury sport-utility vehicle universe? That's what Benjamin and Sami try to figure out today, by comparing the gorgeous hauler to both the BMW X3 M40i and the Volvo XC60 - two very different, yet ostensibly competitive SUVs. Links: 2018 Volvo XC60 vs 2018 BMW X3 M40i — Does Volvo have what it takes to compete with the likes of BMW?...
Mar 24, 2018•44 min
Can the best full-size truck on the market get any better? For the moost part yes according to Benjamin and Sami, who each drove the redesigned 2019 Ram 1500 in the Arizona desert. The pair wish there'd been an eTorque model to test out, but other than that there's plenty to talk about when discussing one of FCA's most important vehicles. Benjamin also had a chance to drive the 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake, which might be the coolest luxury wagon on the planet, while Sami spent time with the XF sed...
Mar 17, 2018•53 min
What happens when Maserati buys a town in the Italian alps? Sami gets sent there to drive the Levante SUV and the Quattroporte sedan, in a completely normal and not at all creepy or isolated setting. Benjamin, on the other hand, had the opoortunity to drive both of Cadillac's top-tier models -the Escalade and the CT6 - back to back in a bid to figure out which one best represents the brand. He also spent time with Super Cruise, which is Cadillac's take on a robot driving your car for you on the ...
Mar 10, 2018•53 min
Is it smart to sell a version of your halo car that subtracts the one factor that your brand is known for above all else? Sami pilots the rear-wheel drive 2018 Audi R8 RWS in Spain and comes back to tell Benjamin what he thinks about Audi's gambit. Benjamin, meanwhile, spends time behind the wheel of the completely redesigned 2018 Buick Regal GS and discovers that it's a lot better than anyone would expect. He also drives the 2019 Buick Envision, the 'oldest' new car in the Buick fleet. Finally,...
Mar 03, 2018•50 min
Chances are you haven't driven the 2018 Acura TLX A Spec, but Sami has, and he's willing to get behind the mid-size luxury sedan's mix of performance and comfort despite Benjamin's misgivings about the Acura brand. Benjamin goes in-depth on his time spent with the 2018 Honda Odyssey, a van wandering the wilderness of SUVs and crossovers in a bid to attract families to its cavernous cabin. The two also discuss the C7 generation Chevrolet Corvette Z06 after a listener asks whether or not the model...
Feb 24, 2018•48 min
The 2018 Honda Fit Sport proves that no one should be buying SUVs if what they really care about is practicality - at least, that's what Benjamin has to say on this week's episode after spending serious time with the subcompact hatchback. Sami counters with the ultra-efficient, 50-mpg Kia Niro, and boldy claims it to be better than the over-styled Toyota Prius. Plus: bonus trash talk about the leaked Toyota Supra specs, and a serial killer story from Korea with an expected link to the Kia Niro....
Feb 17, 2018•40 min
How different is the new 2019 Audi A7 from the model it replaces? How strong does it stand next to the growing class of four-door luxury coupes that it once ruled? Sami has the scoop after driving the A7 for two days on the dusty streets of Johannesburg. Benjamin counters the South African sun with a week spent on snow and ince in the BMW i8, a hybrid that is surprisingly competent when the temperature drops, and a supercar that doesn't seem to mind plowing through the white stuff. Also, Sami fa...
Feb 10, 2018•45 min
This week Benjamin drives the variable compression turbo equipped 2019 Infiniti QX50, while both Sami and Benjamin get to say the words 'compression' and 'ignition' over and over again after testing out a prototype version of Mazda's Skyactiv-X compression ignition engine. Finally, Benjamin reveals his disappointment with the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV, while Sami engages him in that eternal debate: do you say 'P-H-E-V' or 'FEV?'
Feb 03, 2018•49 min
When is an M car not an M car? When it's an...M car? If that's confusing to you, too, then join us for an exploration of two extremely fast, very large BMWs that wear the M badge more modestly than some of their stable mates - even thought one of the features a twin-turbo V12 under the hood and is the most expensive model you can buy from the German brand. We're talking M550i and the M760Li on this week's episode, and wondering what the end game is for BMW's M division: Motorsports or Marketing?...
Jan 24, 2018•51 min
The North American International Auto Show in Detroit is the largest gathering of automakers in the country, and each year it brings with it a packed slate of new vehicle debuts. Benjamin and Sami hit the highlights and lowlights of this year's show, including new concepts, cars, trucks, and SUVs from Lexus, Ford, Acura, Volkswagen, Ram, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Infiniti, and Toyota.
Jan 17, 2018•37 min
New engines, new design, new interior secret storage compartments and all the other juicy, non-aluminum (and also aluminum) details of the new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. That's all we talk about in this mini-episode of the podcast.
Jan 14, 2018•10 min
Which of GM's full-size crossovers would you buy: the 2018 Buick Enclave or the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse? Benjamin and Sami debate these near-twins, trying to figure out what, if anything, marks a clear dividing line between their redesigned platforms, drivetrains, and feature-sets. Or, in other words, how much are you willing to pay for QuietTuning, and how many bad decisions did Benjamin have to make before he got the Traverse completely stuck in a snowbank? The two also talk about what's comin...
Jan 12, 2018•1 hr 2 min
How did the 2018 Audi RS3 fare in dealing with some of the snowiest and coldest conditions Montreal has seen in years? Benjamin goes in depth about the most affordable entry point to the high performance RS line-up, with Sami offering his counterpoint after having driven the car on the sandy highways of Oman. The two also riff on the upcoming CES show, the weird technologies (including brain-to-car-interface) that will debut there, and of course, the Mercedes-Benz G-Mode button.
Jan 05, 2018•49 min
Sami spends a week with the 2018 Subaru Forester XT and is impressed by what the turbocharged SUV has to offer in terms of fun behind the wheel, while Benjamin dishes on the redesigned 2018 Honda Accord and whether its entry-level engine is worthy of the same praise as its range-topping sibling. The pair then delve into a retrospective look at all the cars and trucks they drove in 2017 - the good, the bad, the underwhelming, the puzzling, and the disappointing - and share their mutual despair fo...
Dec 29, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Sami drives the refreshed 2018 Infiniti QX80 full-size SUV and then gets really touchy about how it looks, while Benjamin pilots the all-new 2019 Volvo XC40 SUV in Spain and is surprised by just how big of an impression the compact crossover left on him. We also talk about the 2018 Buick Regal Sportback before segueing into quick hits on the 'the downer media' comment made at this year's LA Auto Show, fake audio speaker technology that Volvo wants you to think is totally real, the uselessness of...
Dec 20, 2017•51 min
BMW's newest version of its M5 super-sedan now sports all-wheel drive and an automatic-only transmission. Is it still fun on a race track? Benjamin drives the latest M5 at Estoril to answer that question - and also puts the BMW i3s through an autocross course to determine whether the brand's new and sporty take on its all-electric hatchback makes sense. Sami drives the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, a vehicle destined to be the last all-Mitsu product to reach American shores, and then makes fun of Be...
Dec 14, 2017•50 min
A half hour of commentary live from the floor of the L.A. Auto Show this week as we experiment with free-flow, hand-held recording at one of the world's most important automotive events. We talk BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, and more - and don't forget our over-long segment on AMG Performance donut flavors.
Dec 04, 2017•30 min
The Lexus LC 500 is one of the best-looking and best-sounding luxury coupes on the market, but how does it hold up on the cold streets of Montreal? And who, exactly, would choose its 500h hybrid showroom-mate over the standard 500's V8 thunder? Benjamin drives them back-to-back to answer that question. Sami, on the other hand, spends a week driving not one, but four compact SUVs: the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Honda CR-V, the Nissan Rogue, and the Chevrolet Equinox, to see which one comes out on top...
Nov 26, 2017•47 min
The Kia Stinger GT has been aimed squarely at BMW, Audi, and Lexus luxury cars, but does this grand tourer have the performance and poise required to get a seat at that table? Benjamin spends a day with the Stinger GT in L.A. to answer that question. Meanwhile, Sami tests the Honda Fit head-to-head against the Kia Rio hatchback to determine where the best blend of value, practicality, and fun can be found in this hotly-contested, and affordable, segment. Finally, Benjamin feels cynical about the...
Nov 19, 2017•51 min
Mercedes-Benz takes off the gloves in the compact SUV segment and pummels BMW and Audi with the new 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63, a 500 horsepower family hauler that has no equal in its class, and Sami has the inside story on what it's like to drive it. Benjamin spends a week with the Nissan 370Z, a car that's been largely unchanged since 2009, and as a result finds itself out of step with the rest of the performance universe. Finally, leaked details about the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 are deb...
Nov 12, 2017•48 min
